The Shadowbanning of the United States Internet


August 16, 2023 | Sundance 

There really is no other phrase that seems to adequately describe the future for online life in the United States than to describe it through the prism of the previously discussed shadow banning that takes place on the X-platform for specifically wrong-thinking users.

It is important to begin with the end in mind.  Perhaps some people are unaware that internet services, meaning the actual experience of using the internet for communication and commerce, are not the same in every nation.  In fact, it is quite a different experience depending on where on the globe you are located.  The differences are driven by internal controls, the intranet of the regional internet per se.

The internet in China is not the same as the internet in Europe, which is not the same as the internet in Australia, which is not the same as the internet in North America, which is not the same -at all- as the internet that now exists within Russia.  Even in some continents, the internet traffic flows are controlled at different levels within each nation. The “world wide web” is a format, but when you get down to the national level, things change.

This baseline helps to understand that internet freedom is defined by access to information and commerce.

To the extent the information or commerce is defined as against the interests of the authority structure, or potentially a threat to the national security interest of the government therein, the internet content is filtered, modified, censored, removed or just simply blocked from view.  This is one layer in the information control system.

Another layer is the flow of commerce that floats atop the flow of information.  This is where advertising, product sales, purchasing and general e-commerce takes place. This layer represents another option for control; therefore, this e-commerce layer should be considered running in parallel to the information, albeit perhaps indirectly attached.

When western government applied economic sanctions against Russia via financial restrictions writ large, the layer of internet commerce control merged with the information and national security control systems of the internet.

Russian citizens were blocked from e-commerce access, specifically from western nations in alignment with the sanctions, and the mechanisms of online purchasing were restricted.  However, the entire world did not participate in the sanctions, and there is a massive amount of e-commerce that takes place, even with the systems of western control financial blocks in place.

Additionally, there is a large black-market system for commerce and financial transactions that started organically in the aftermath of the Russian sanctions.  Crypto currency, as a financial transaction mechanism, was predictable; however, over time people became even more strategic and alternate transfer systems were created.  You can purchase advertising in Russia, but are you really purchasing advertising – or are the purchasers really just transferring funds?  Think about it.

I share that Russia example, because I do not want people to get too disheartened in what is going to happen here in the United States.  There will always be a market for information, regardless of the control systems that are created to stop it.  Additionally, there will always be smart rebellious people who think of ways to subvert the intents of the control mechanisms.  Freedom may be diminished from a raging fire to a small burning flame, but it will never be fully extinguished.  WE just need to learn to adapt.

It took me over two years to assemble The Benghazi Brief, because the background story was so large and complex that it took time, research and retrospection to appropriately contextualize the truth of the issue.  The Benghazi attack was a small, albeit deadly outcome, of a much larger story.  The brief walks through everything in context.

In a similar construct, the Shadowbanning of The United States internet is a big and complex story, and I am only about halfway through the assembly of all the data to put context to it.  However, as time becomes critical, it is important for me to push the information forward – because many of the timelines in the construct are likely to surface before I am complete with the fully assembled story.

I am going to drop some links that will help serve as a flashlight into the rabbit hole.  Each story may seem initially disparate or disconnected.  However, I would encourage you to think big picture with each of the puzzle pieces that are presented.  This is likely to become a series, and I will create a new “Internet” category on the side bar where I will tag any future elements.

Please keep in mind, the issues of e-commerce: ie. information monetization, advertising, deplatforming and debanking, are not disconnected from the issues of information control.  The same larger national security system that has mandated (and will mandate), information blocks, content censorship, content restrictions, content removal and various platform control elements, is all part of one interconnected compliance system.  Electronic Commerce and Electronic Information are all subject to the online control process.  This is a public-private partnership on the internet.

The origin of the public-private partnership goes all the way back to the origin of the tech system in relationship to the DARPA programs and government sponsored research labs.  The outcome of the modern partnership is evident in the Dept of Homeland Security (DHS) collaboration with the various communication platforms or pipes of information. Systems like the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism’s (GIFCT) database, are simply outcomes of the partnership.  There are hundreds more.

There is a rush now to provide context because Artificial Intelligence (AI), or smart data systems, are launching into the United States internet control mechanisms almost daily.  We are close to the time when AI will be triggered to help control the content of the internet under the guise of national security.

The timeline for full deployment of the modern United States internet control system, is likely around late fall and early winter this year, in advance of the 2024 U.S. election cycle.

Everything will change.  Every route of online traffic including Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) to filters and rerouting on Domain Name Systems (DNS), to the Internet Protocol (IP) itself will be subject to change in the form of background shadow banning.  If the DHS partnership is successful, you will not initially notice – much like a shadow banned platform user doesn’t notice their new defined status.  The shift will become more obvious over time.

One odd outcome will be a regional targeting system.  Depending on where you are in the USA, your online experience will be different. There will also be enhancements to your internet travel based on your profile.  Good thinking users will have benefits that enhance the experience of the user and supports the interests of the national security guardians.

♦ Deployment of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is irrelevant in this construct.  A VPN is like you renting a car without a license plate.  You travel past all the Automatic License Plate Readers, arrive at your destination, leave the keys in the ignition and just abandon the car.  Your personal travel was essentially invisible to the APLR system.  However, when the internet roads are controlled by the national security state, and there is no longer an offramp to the destination, your VPN use is irrelevant – you cannot reach your destination.  That’s part of the shift.

You will notice I use the term “definition” quite often.  That is because the root of every control mechanism is grounded upon defining things.  When you accept the terms ‘disinformation’, ‘misinformation’, and/or ‘malinformation’, you are buying into the process that permits definitions to determine your travel. Those who define both you and your destination, ultimately control your online experience.

Now, before getting to a recent example of this construct as it is being built, it is important to return to the e-commerce aspect and overlay the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) index into the world of online commerce.

♦ Right now, you can physically boycott Bud Light by choosing another brand.  However, for total goods and services the amount of online purchasing is now exceeding the amount of purchasing in real life (brick and mortar shopping).   Overlay the economic control system (think Russian sanctions approach) with the national security requirements for DEI, amid all online commerce, and apply that layer of analysis.  In the e-commerce world, choosing not to buy Bud Light will become a little more difficult; and those who do support the boycott become subject to the previously mentioned “definitions”.

I’m jumping ahead, because today there was a big development. As you read this, do not think small as presented – think bigger.  Think beyond the use of AI moderation on a platform, and think of AI moderation on the U.S. Internet System.  Online moderation conducted by AI:

OPEN AI – […] GPT-4 is also able to interpret rules and nuances in long content policy documentation and adapt instantly to policy updates, resulting in more consistent labeling. We believe this offers a more positive vision of the future of digital platforms, where AI can help moderate online traffic.

[…] Content moderation demands meticulous effort, sensitivity, a profound understanding of context, as well as quick adaptation to new use cases, making it both time consuming and challenging. Traditionally, the burden of this task has fallen on human moderators sifting through large amounts of content to filter out toxic and harmful material, supported by smaller vertical-specific machine learning models. The process is inherently slow and can lead to mental stress on human moderators.

We’re exploring the use of LLMs to address these challenges. Our large language models like GPT-4 can understand and generate natural language, making them applicable to content moderation. The models can make moderation judgments based on policy guidelines provided to them. (read more

Do you remember me telling you about what I noticed in the most recent Google spider crawls?

“The Alpha/Google spiders are not crawling around with their enhanced AI looking for words, phrases or content issues.  Enhanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given the spiders the ability to look for context.  The new Alpha/Goog AI spiders are crawling the internet looking for information provided with a detrimental and accurate context.  Those who are applying truthful context are the subversive voices that must be targeted.  Keep this in mind.”

I can get in big trouble for sharing this next graphic, but f**kit… I’m all in.

Google Spider Crawl Result, CTH Subversive Content, July 2023

As we have shared, the crawl is not headlines, the crawl is in content.  Yes, even content in the comment section is now flagging to the control systems.  Why? Because we operate a proprietary constructed private commenting system that doesn’t have a backdoor and protects you, the user.

The Google Spiders are newly enhanced with AI instructions, dispatched looking for content and ‘context’ that is against the interests of the Vanguard, Blackrock, Larry Page (Alpha/Goog owners), and the public-private partnership.

Look at the one I have highlighted above titled “Have you ever noticed this.”  Do you remember it?  [Reminder Here] This content is considered “dangerous or derogatory”. Think about that for a moment.  Discussing the humor of Donald Trump, and the fellowship it creates, is considered “dangerous” to the interests of Google.

Do not get alarmed, get informed.

I share this information with you so that you understand what is being constructed and what is about to be deployed on a large scale throughout the U.S. internet operating system.  The U.S. internet will be different.  The social media restrictions became more prevalent and noticeable in the past several years; now it is time for DHS to expand that process to the entire U.S. internet.

When I wrote about Jack’s Magic Coffee shop, people initially thought I was crazy – but the guys inside the coffee shop didn’t.  Eventually DHS control over Twitter was revealed in the Twitter files.  The same background is true here.  The entire American online apparatus is going to change, quite soon.

More will follow….

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RESOURCES:

Using AI for Content Moderation

Facebook / META / Tech joining with DHS

Zoom with allow Content Scraping by AI 

AI going into The Cloud

U.S. Govt Going into The Cloud With AI

Pentagon activates 175 Million IP’s

Have Trump’s Lawyers Been Compromised?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Rule of Law Re-Posted Aug 15, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: In “The Trump Florida Indictment Violates the Constitution,” you recommend that Trump’s lawyers should file motions to dismiss based on substantive due process violations. I am a lawyer and believe you’re correct. Any speculation as to why they don’t?

FS

ANSWER: Not sure if they are representing him. This has never been done before. It is certainly a ripe question of first impression for the Supreme Court. I would be jumping all over this.

My concern is that there has to be a reason they are NOT really defending him. They may have been intimidated by the government. They imply the IRS might personally audit them if they do not cooperate. I am stating this OPENLY for someone had better really defend Trump, for this is more than him; this is the entire rule of law on trial here. As you know, once they create a precedent, they will cite Trump’s case and start indicting people in one district after venue shopping and then put them on trial only to comply with the 6th Amendment.

They already rig the selection process for judges more often than not. Here is my docket sheet. Judge McKenna granted my motion to compel the government to explain the case against me because they constantly changed the theory. The prosecutors went to the Chief Judge and had my case removed from Judge McKenna to John F. Keenan, who, on the first day, overruled Judge McKenna and denied my motion after McKenna had granted it. The Chief Judge then sealed my docket so I could never see how they rigged my case. I have witnessed every dirty trick in the book that these people pull.

The court-appointed lawyer David Cooper never said a word. This was an outright denial of my Due Process right, and he REFUSED ever to file an appeal. The Supreme Court has subsequently held that a lawyer who refused to file an appeal is ineffective assistance of counsel. I believe the government threatened him, and they may be doing the same to Trump’s lawyers. Of course, they will never admit that.

The Level of Pretending Needed to Believe This Is Jaw Dropping


Posted Originally on the CTH on August 15, 2023 | Sundance 

The Fulton County clerk of courts is putting out the third public statement trying to explain and justify why they posted the grand jury indictment of Donald Trump before the grand jury had even met to vote on the indictment.   This latest explanation is so incredulous it’s almost impossible to believe they are making this public:

According to the story above, the original indictment before the jury met, was a trial run upload, made of a totally fictious construct, with totally random charges, that just happened to line up with the exact same charges, in the exact same sequence, as the indictment after the jury voted.  …

Yeah, when you are trying to get out of a hole this deep, it’s best to stop digging.

I wonder if Suspicious Cat believes the clerk?

NIH Experts Received $325 Million in Big Pharma Royalties During COVID


Armstrong Economics Blog/Corruption Re-Posted Aug 15, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Two weeks to slow the spread was simply not enough time for the elite to steal as much power and wealth as possible. OpenTheBooks recently revealed over 1,500 records showing those at the head of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases quietly profited from COVID-19 and their recommendations to “slow the spread.” Two faces of the pandemic propaganda, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Francis Collins secured 58 royalty payments out of a total of $325 million in royalties set aside for the NIH.

Sen. Rand Paul confronted Fauci for accepting bribes in June 2022. “The NIH continues to refuse to voluntarily divulge the names of scientists who receive royalties and from which companies over the period of time from 2010 to 2016, 27,000 royalty payments were paid to 1800 NIH employees,” Rand Paul said. “We know that. Not because you told us, but because we forced you to tell us through the Freedom of Information Act. Fauci refused to answer the senator or admit if he received and royalty payout for his voluntary work.

Paul dug deeper, “Here’s what I want to know. It’s not just about you, everybody on the vaccine committee, have any of them ever received money from the people who make vaccines?” Paul asked. “Can you tell me that? Can you tell me if anybody on the vaccine approval committees ever receive any money from people?” Fauci claimed that he was not legally required to admit to receiving payments. “First of all, according to the regulations, people who receive royalties are not required to divulge them, even on their financial statement, according to the Bayh-Dole act,” Fauci told Paul. Fauci took it a step further and said that the only royalties he received were for his lab. “My royalties ranged from $21 a year to $700 a year. And the average per year was $191 and 46 cents,” the doctor insisted.

We know that Fauci was lying about receiving kickbacks. Santa Cruz Biotechnology, a company that produces medical research instruments, paid Fauci 15 times. Ancell Corp. sent Fauci 14 separate payments. Chiron Corp., later bought by Novartis in 2006, paid Fauci on eight occasions. On top of all of these payments, Fauci became the highest-paid government worker in America in 2022, with an annual salary of $480,000.

Clearly, this man was unable to make unbiased decisions when Big Pharma was lining his pockets throughout the entire pandemic. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) found 34 Chinese entities were among the agencies paying off American “scientists.” Pokrov Biologics Plant, a Russian-based animal vaccine manufacturer that is said to be a front for bioweapon production, also paid off NIH scientists. Fauci claimed he would donate all of his royalties to charity but that too seems to be a lie. The people at the top profited from our pain and prioritized profits over the people.

Christians Barred from Fostering Children in Massachusetts


Armstrong Economics Blog/WOKE Re-Posted Aug 15, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

I reported in April that Oregon’s Department of Human Services announced it would prevent some Christian families from adopting children due to their “extreme views.” Potential adopters now receive an ideological litmus test to ensure that parents adhere to the woke agenda and will agree to let their child transition to any gender at whim.

Planned Parenthood performed 374,155 abortions last year, amounting to 1,200 abortions per day. The same organization is also funding gender-affirming care for the youth. Only 1,803 women placed their babies up for adoption last year, and it is notoriously hard to adopt in America. These agencies are profiting on selling children to parents and do not prioritize the well-being of the children. The woke ideology must be at the forefront.

Massachusetts has joined Oregon in preventing Christians and other religious couples from providing homes to children. One couple from Massachusetts has taken the Commonwealth to court (Burke v Walsh) after they were denied the right to foster at-risk children. Mike and Kitty Burke were deemed unfit caregivers solely because they believe in the Catholic faith. “After months of interviews and training, and after years of heartbreak, we were on the verge of finally becoming parents,” said Mike and Kitty Burke. “We were absolutely devastated to learn that Massachusetts would rather children sleep in the hallways of hospitals than let us welcome children in need into our home.”

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) admits that they have 1,500 children displaced children awaiting forever homes. The state has no room to house these poor children temporarily and has resorted to leaving these vulnerable children in state hospitals for weeks at a time. The Burke family wanted to welcome at least one child into their home.  “Their faith is not supportive,” the social worker deemed, citing their views on gender dysphoria and sexual orientation. Perhaps the state of Massachusetts will allow the Burke family to foster a migrant military-aged adult male since that is of top priority. The entire woke agenda is hurting thousands of children, and we must begin to question why we are permitting this blatant religious discrimination to occur.

Dating in America


From Armstrong Economics Posted Aug 14, 2023

COMMENT: Mr. Armstrong, You are so right about this country being totally screwed. I dated a girl three times. Everything seemed OK. We had similar goals and interests. Then I mentioned the Trump indictment. Suddenly, she just said, oh, you are a Trump supporter. The conversation turned cold, and suddenly, I saw a look of hatred in her eyes. It is an understatement to say I got the check, and that was it. I asked her about war and Biden’s Crime Family. The war was justified because Putin supported Trump. As for the Biden Crime Family, that was a right-wing conspiracy theory. There was nothing left to talk about.

I cannot say enough. Socrates has pegged our future correctly. There was no talking to her, even on a polite level. I do not see how this country can stand as one. We are too far gone. There is no basis for the compromise of you to leave me alone, and I leave you alone. They really do not tolerate even our existence. We have no right to disagree.

I just had to say my experience firsthand.

EK

REPLY: Perhaps you should lead with that – state your political belief FIRST. That appears to be the #1 criterion for dating anymore.

The media has spun such hatred. They think this is like a football game. They score a goal and win. This is real life. What they have done to America is no different from what they did to the Jews in Germany. They had their Kristallnacht, and we will see the same outcome here—wait for the 2024 election. Human nature can turn really violent.

Land of the Free & Home of the Brave


Armstrong Economics Blog/CENSORSHIP Re-Posted Aug 12, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Hi Martin,

For months now, I don’t receive about half of your blog emails, most of the time the ones that are politically the most sensitive.
For example, these last few days, I didn’t receive “Massachusetts residents… “ and “FBI carry out hit…”

Have a great day

P

REPLY: We are getting similar emails about Canada censorship. These are only stories reporting the news – not advocating an agenda.

Welcome to the land of the free and home of the brave – some restrictions may apply … void where prohibited. This has been the most popular T-Shirt we handed out at a WEC.

Devin Nunes – David Weiss is Another John Durham Protective Silo – The Deep State Operation Tracks Back to Obama Weaponizing Intel and DOJ


Posted originally on the CTH on August 11, 2023 | Sundance 

This interview segment is almost as if Devin Nunes reads here.  The former House Intel Committee chairman outlines the appointment of David Weiss as another DC silo creation similar in construct to John Durham. {Direct Rumble Link}

Obviously, Nunes is correct.  Additionally, as Nunes accurately outlines the entire weaponization process traces back to when Barack Obama took office and unleashed the apparatus of the intelligence agencies to target domestic political opposition.  At the same time, Obama’s AG Eric Holder created the DOJ National Security Division and then weaponized surveillance under the auspices of FARA and FISA Courts to target one side of the political dynamic.  WATCH:

Elevator Speech:

(1) The Patriot Act turned the intel surveillance radar from foreign searches for terrorists to domestic searches for terrorists.

(2) Obama/Biden then redefined what is a “terrorist” to include their political opposition.

The changed definitions continue through today.  The DHS partnership with Big Tech is an extension of the issue.  Thus, political opposition spreads “disinformation,” ergo the voice and content of the political opposition must be removed.  The targeting is one long continuum.

Sam Bankman-Fried Heading to Prison After Intimidating Key Witness Using Leaks to New York Times


Posted originally on the CTH on August 11, 2023 | Sundance 

Let’s see… We will trade you one SBF incarceration in exchange for one DJT incarceration and call it fair.

After a US judge in New York tells Sam Bankman-Fried he does not have unlimited first amendment rights, Judge Lewis Kaplan revoked bail and sent SBF to jail for using leaks to the media to intimidate a key federal witness against him – his former girlfriend.

Setting the stage for…

A US judge in DC telling President Donald John Trump he does not have unlimited first amendment rights; establishing the groundwork for sending DJT to jail for using his political platform to intimate Mike Pence, a key federal witness against him – his former Vice President.

Both of these things happened.  A narrative coincidence, I’m sure.

(Via NBC) – Sam Bankman-Fried will head to jail on Friday after a judge sided with a request by federal prosecutors to revoke the FTX founder’s bail over alleged witness tampering. Bankman-Fried will be remanded to custody directly from a court hearing in New York, where he will remain ahead of his criminal trial – which is due to begin on Oct. 2. 

Judge Lewis Kaplan denied Bankman-Fried’s request for delayed detention pending an appeal.

[…] In the motion requesting Bankman-Fried’s detention, the government said that, over the last several months, the defendant had sent over 100 emails to the media and had made over 1,000 phone calls to members of the press. The final straw, according to prosecutors, was Bankman-Fried leaking private diary entries of his ex-girlfriend, Caroline Ellison, to the New York Times. Ellison pleaded guilty to federal charges in Dec. 2022.

Ellison, who is also the former chief executive of Bankman-Fried’s failed crypto hedge fund, Alameda Research, has been cooperating with the government since December and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution. 

[…] The prosecution described the effort by Bankman-Fried – who faces several wire and securities fraud charges related to the alleged multibillion-dollar FTX fraud – as an attempt to discredit Ellison, characterizing it as a “means of indirect witness intimidation through the press.” 

It is an argument that proved sufficient to convince Judge Kaplan to send Bankman-Fried to jail ahead of his trial. (more)

Meanwhile in DC….

(Politico) – U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan warned Donald Trump and his attorney Friday that repeated “inflammatory” statements about his latest criminal prosecution would force her to speed his trial on charges related to his bid to subvert the 2020 election.

“I caution you and your client to take special care in your public statements about this case,” Chutkan told Trump lawyer John Lauro during a hearing. “I will take whatever measures are necessary to safeguard the integrity of these proceedings.”

Chutkan’s stark admonition came at the conclusion of her first courtroom session in the newest criminal case against the former president. The aim of the hearing was for special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors and Trump’s attorneys to hash out disputes about the handling of evidence in the case. Once Chutkan enters a so-called “protective order” governing evidence, prosecutors say they’re prepared to share millions of pages of documents with Trump’s team, jumpstarting the case and setting it on a path to trial.

But Chutkan, aware of the national spotlight on her oversight of the explosive case, repeatedly emphasized that she intended to keep politics out of the courtroom and treat Trump like any other criminal defendant. That included potential consequences if he makes statements that could be construed as harassing or threatening witnesses.

“The fact that he’s running a political campaign has to yield to the orderly administration of justice,” Chutkan said. “If that means he can’t say exactly what he wants to say about witnesses in this case, that’s how it has to be.”

“Even arguably ambiguous statements from parties or their counsel, if they can be reasonably interpreted to intimidate witnesses or to prejudice potential jurors, can threaten the process,” Chutkan added later. (read more)

Here We Go – Garland and Weiss Throw Bag Over Hunter Biden Investigation with Declaration of Special Counsel Status


Posted originally on the CTH on August 11, 2023 | Sundance 

Oh, there will be voices who will proclaim this is the beginning of the end for Joe and Hunter, but that’s nonsense.  We don’t do pretending on these pages.  What happened today was an agreement between USAO David Weiss and US Attorney General Merrick Garland to fortify a silo of protection around the Biden family.

The shift in David Weiss from an investigative US Attorney to an officially appointed Special Counsel [SEE pdf HERE], is nothing more than loading the new color spray paint into the cannister.  Pesky House Oversight Committee inquiry now hits the block of an “ongoing investigation,” a purposeful deployment of a DC replay we have seen repeatedly in the last several years.  The cancer of corruption is institutionally metastatic.

We know the specific motives of USAO David Weiss as a result of the conflict between his public statements, letters to congress and the private statements he gave in meetings with IRS investigators.  Toward the public, Weiss said he had full autonomy and power to investigate Hunter Biden; however, in private he told four investigators the decision-making was not his.  The public statements were refuted and affirmed by two investigators who were witness to his private statements and gave testimony under oath.

As a result, the intent and institutional alignment of David Weiss is clear. This is the cold hard truth of the matter, and it will not change regardless of how much disingenuous concrete they pour around the walls of the silo Main Justice has built.  Ignore any voice who would demand us to pretend the reality is not self-evident.

Here’s the SILO as presented by Garland:

Dept of Justice – “Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the appointment of U.S. Attorney David Weiss to serve as Special Counsel for the ongoing investigation and prosecutions referenced and described in United States v. Robert Hunter Biden, as well as for any other matters that arose or may arise from that investigation. Mr. Weiss was nominated by the former president in 2017 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2018. In 2021, he was asked to remain as U.S. Attorney for the District of Delaware, where he led this ongoing investigation. On Tuesday, Aug. 8, Mr. Weiss requested to be appointed as Special Counsel, and today the Attorney General made that appointment.

“On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation has reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a Special Counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” said Attorney General Garland. “Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded it is in the public interest to appoint him as Special Counsel. This appointment confirms my commitment to provide Mr. Weiss all the resources he requests. It also reaffirms that Mr. Weiss has the authority he needs to conduct a thorough investigation and to continue to take the steps he deems appropriate independently, based only on the facts and the law.”

The Attorney General also said, “As Special Counsel, he will continue to have the authority and responsibility that he has exercised previously to oversee the investigation and decide where, when, and whether to file charges. The Special Counsel will not be subject to the day-to-day supervision of any official of the Department, but he must comply with the regulations, procedures, and policies of the Department … Today’s announcement affords the prosecutors, agents, and analysts working on this matter the ability to proceed with their work expeditiously, and to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law … I am confident that Mr. Weiss will carry out his responsibility in an even-handed and urgent matter, and in accordance with the highest traditions of this Department.” (more)